Barra Closed Season for East Coast Queensland.
The annual Barramundi closed season along Queensland’s east coast will be effective from midday on 1 November 2015 through to midday on 1 February 2016.
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Robert Ibell said officers will be stepping up surveillance during the three month closure to protect this valued fish species during the summer wet season.
The Barramundi closed season applies to all commercial and recreational fishers!!
It's important that Barramundi are not targeted for catch and release during a closed season as the stress of capture may actually prevent the fish from spawning. Any person found taking Barramundi during the closed season could face fines of up to $110,000.
There are some exceptions for the Barramundi closure, these are in and from stocked waterways upstream of Awoonga, Burdekin Falls, Callide, Eungella, Fairbairn, Fred Haigh (Lake Monduran), Kinchant, Koombooloomba, Lenthalls, Peter Faust, Teemburra, Tinaroo, Waruma Dams, Lake Fred Tritton, East Leichhardt Dam and Belmore, Corella, Julius and Moondarra Lakes. Size and possession limits still apply to Barramundi taken from these waterways. The minimum size limit is 58cm and the possession limit is one during the closure, compared to usual amount of five.
People who suspect illegal fishing are urged to do the right thing and report it to the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116."
For more information on closed seasons for fishing in Queensland, visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au, call 13 25 23 or download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app from Apple and Google app stores. Follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@FisheriesQld).

BASS
Cressbrook Dam has been pretty quiet for the lure anglers this week, however live shrimp picked up some quality Bass off Deer Island and also around the Eagles Nest. Lake Dyer has been the standout this week, with plenty of fish hitting silent TN60 Jackalls, Somerset Dam has picked up slightly; Queen Street, Bay13 and the Pelican Point areas are all holding fish, with Tailspinners and Blades working well and working the edges with TN60 Jackalls in the timbered area at Kirkleigh has produced some good fish also. Boondooma Dam has seen the Stuart and Boyne arms producing plenty of Bass on spinnerbaits and trolled hard bodies, good numbers of Bass taking live shrimp and trolled hard bodies around Bass Point at Bjelke Peterson, not a lot has changed at Moogerah and Maroon this week, with Moogerah producing good numbers on hard bodies, blades and live shrimp, sticking to the timbered area is the best option and Maroon produced some quality Bass again, targeting the weed edges with live shrimp and suspending minnows early morning has given the best results.

YELLOWBELLY AND COD
Cooby Dam has seen black and gold blades picking up some nice fish and for the bait anglers, live shrimp and frozen saltwater yabbies have been successful as well. Very similar at Glenlyon this week, with good numbers of Cod hitting bigger spinnerbaits and trolled hard bodies, while frozen saltwater yabbies, spinnerbaits and hard bodies have worked well for Yellowbelly. Coolmunda has continued to fish well with bag limits being reached quite easily, darker coloured lures have worked well early morning and late afternoon, while brighter colours have been better through the middle of the day. Leslie Dam fished fish well this week, with reports of good numbers being landed, Yellowbelly are quite active at the moment with bait working well in the main basin, to the north of the ski club, while soft bibes have picked up a few in the deeper water, opposite the dam wall. There was also a few Cod landed around the 65cm mark, with the best measuring in at 85cm and these were mainly taken on spinnerbaits. The same story as with the Bass at Boondooma, trolling hard bodies throughout both arms has produced decent numbers, while Bjelke Peterson has seen hard bodies and spinnerbaits working well around points and steeper banks. As for the rivers, the Macintyre at Goondi has seen quite a few Yellowbelly caught, with spinnerbaits picking up most of those fish: and the Condamine has again produced good numbers of Yellowbelly and Cod, particularly from Pratten through to Warwick, bait, hard bodies and spinnerbaits are all working well.

COASTAL FISHING
Offshore fishing at the Gold Coast has seen Pearl Perch on the northern 50’s and the 24’s and 36’s have produced good numbers of Trag Jew and Cobia, while inshore has produced Kingies and Trevally in the Seaway, the Nerang River has again fished well for Mangrove Jack on hard bodies and live Mullet around the bridges and pylons and even though the numbers are down, the Pin is producing some quality Flathead near Kalinga Bank and Crusoe Island. At the Sunny Coast, offshore fishing has been a little quiet again this week, however those who have ventured out, have picked up Mackerel and Cobia on drifted baits. Inshore fishing has seen Jacks taking live Herring in Bells Creek, plenty of Squid on the top of the tide just out from Kings Beach and also off the Boardwalk, the Maroochy River has fished well for Jacks and Whiting as well as Flathead near the river mouth and the Noosa River has seen good numbers of Jack’s taken on live baits, around the rock walls and pylons, Whiting on surface poppers and the run in tide has seen Trevally and Queen fish hitting metal slugs just inside the river mouth.